Hitchhiker
by ShinigamiRee-II
Summary: If she had known what would follow after hitching a ride in a red and blue semi, would she have done it anyways? Definitely. Eventual pairings: Optimus/OC. Reuploaded.
1. Chapter 1

**AN**: First foray into Transformers fanfic. Yeah, I've gone back to self inserts, but I'd like to think that this one isn't a total Sue, and that my writing has vastly improved since the days of writing awful DBZ fics. The rating, genre, and summary are all subject to change, and I know the title sucks bolts.

**Hitchhiker**

_chapter one_

_If she had known what would follow after hitching a ride in a red and blue semi, would she have done it anyways? Definitely. Eventual pairings: Optimus/OC._

As soon as he saw her, the Prime knew what he was going to do. She looked way too young to be out here in the middle of the desert, miles from the nearest town. The only question in Optimus's mind was what exactly had conspired to leave a human teenager stranded in the Nevada desert. He activated the holographic driver before slowing and popping the door for the girl.

A backpack was tossed into his cab before the girl climbed in, a quiet thanks uttered as she buckled up. She looked young, about Miko's age, and again he wondered what she was doing out here.

"Before you start bombardin' me with questions, mister, I really don't care where we're goin', so long as we're not headin' back south. You can call me Maddie, no, my parents don't know where I am, no, I'm not goin' back home, and no, they don't care."

He was a little stunned. She sounded like she didn't even care either. He pulled back onto the road, watching her as she pulled out a small electronic device and started tapping the screen. Soft music filled the cab, vastly different from what he'd heard the kids play in the base. She glanced up at his holographic driver finally, looking slightly apologetic.

"Sorry. I'll turn it off if you don't like it. And um...I'm sorry for bein' so short. I'm just..." She shrugged and slumped against the seat. "I'm tryin' to get to Canada. I got a friend in Toronto, and...yeah."

"What about your family?" He spoke through the driver, watching her carefully. She sounded really unhappy.

"Trust me, they don't care." She muttered.

He was well aware of how soft-sparked he was, especially concerning the humans. And the kids. This one was already making his spark ache for her. "What happened?"

"It was leave or be kicked out, alright? I...flunked out of college. And they flipped out at me." She slumped further into the seat, and Optimus revised his initial estimation of her age...if she was in college... "I wanted to take computer courses. They told me to take something else. Y'have any idea how boring it is to listen to lectures on micro-biology and try to memorize the structures and functions of cells? Geez...somedays I just wanted to run out of the lecture halls, screamin'."

"I just...I had to get out. So I'm headin' to Toronto. I'll start over, find a job, an'...do my own thing." She flicked her finger across the screen of her little device, and Optimus immediately decided he was going to drop her off in Jasper. A soft, upbeat tune filled the cabin, a woman's voice singing something...he didn't bother to follow the lyrics, his attention more on how Maddie had smiled and started humming along to the song. She glanced over at the driver again and grinned a bit wider. "I really like this song."

He tried to focus on the lyrics then, something about enjoying life, and then something slammed into his side. Tires squealed, and he cringed internally at the sound of the girl screaming in fear. And then he heard Knockout's mocking voice.

_'Scrap.'_ He thought to himself, revving his engine to pick up speed. His commlink pinged, no doubt it'd be Ratchet, and he just hoped Knockout was alone. He could easily take on Knockout alone while remaining in his alt-mode, so long as Knockout didn't transform.

As he failed to spot Breakdown anywhere in the vicinity, he briefly wondered if the Decepticon was glitching, taking him on alone. And then the noise in his cab took on a new tone, and he belatedly realized Maddie had tried to grab onto the driver, and discovered it was a hologram. ...Scrap.

As Knockout attempted to sideswipe him again, he locked his wheels and watched the Decepticon shoot ahead of him and pull a quick u-turn and transform, he sighed. Of course. The sudden silence in his cab was not reassuring. Optimus transformed as well, setting the stunned girl and her backpack behind him.

It seemed they were going to end up with another young human under their protection.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN**: We are just churning along here. Thanks to Answerthecall for reviewing, bro. Also the site is eating my pagebreaks, and my attempts to edit uploaded documents. Boo. And uh, yeah. Maddie's speech patterns are based on my own, and she's really starting to deviate from my personality, which is awesome. And I switch PoV's frequently. I'll try to keep it from being too confusing.

**Hitchhiker**

_chapter two_

_If she had known what would follow after hitching a ride in a red and blue semi, would she have done it anyways? Definitely. Eventual pairings: Optimus/OC._

The fight had been brief, and Optimus had more or less let Knockout get away. His concern had been more for the girl who'd been caught up in this. As he turned to look down at her, he was a bit surprised to see she'd walked up to him, staring back up with a wide eyed look. He wasn't sure that expression was one of fear or awe.

-linebreak-

She still wasn't sure what the hell had just happened. The guy who she'd been chatting with had...well. She wasn't quite sure what the hell he was, or if he was real at all. After all, her hand had gone straight through his shoulder when she'd reached for him in a panic, screaming her head off as the other vehicle had swiped them.

And then the goddamn semi she'd been riding in had...had...freakin' _changed_. And fought with the car, and...and... _'Frikkin' laser beams'_ she thought idly. They'd fired _LASERS_ at each other, exchanged a few punches, and the smaller one had run away. Or rather, changed and driven away. Whatever, semantics. She was briefly reminded of a smaller dog running from a larger one with its tail tucked between its legs.

She glanced up and almost cringed as her eyes met those shining blue ones, and she sucked in a deep breath...and decided she'd done enough screaming to last her 'til next week, thanks, and instead of shrieking, her voice came out surprisingly level, if shaky. "What in the name of whatever's still holy is going on here..."

The...thing that had been a semi truck a little while ago knelt in front of, one hand on the ground as it steadied itself, and up close it really hit her, how freakin' MASSIVE it was. "...You're not gonna eat me or something, a-are you?" Oh god that was probably the dumbest thing she'd ever said, it was a machine, it didn't eat...did it?

The bemused look on its face would have been amusing, had this been occurring on a movie screen, and not right in front of her.

"No, I am not going to harm you."

Oh, god. That voice. Her mind blanked for a moment, and then she screamed. "OH MY GOD! What'd you do to the trucker! You stole his voice! OH MY GOD! What are you!"

-linebreak-

That outburst was unexpected. Optimus sighed as she continued, and then held up a hand. To his relief, she fell suddenly silent. And stared at him. He activated his commlink then. "Ratchet. I need a groundbridge." He glanced down again, to see she'd approached him, still looking like she was about to bolt, and touched his hand.

"Okay...obviously I've somehow gotten into the Twilight Zone. I'm not hallucinatin', cuz...cuz you're real. Or...or...I've lost my mind... Or the travel brochures for Nevada are full of _lies_. Cuz they totally forgot to mention the giant, shape changin' machines an' kungfu laser fights." She looked back up at him, and he tuned out whatever Ratchet was saying. "I'm not crazy...I'm not on drugs..."

"No, you aren't, Maddie." He kept his voice soft, trying not to frighten her further, and noticed how she relaxed a bit at the sound of her name.

"...I'm talkin' to a sentient, shape changing machine. You're uh...um..." She shook her head. "I ...okay. What...happened to the trucker, first. Cuz um...he, uh...kinda, y'know, went poof." She laughed, her voice still retaining that uncertain tone.

"He was a holographic projection." He decided to with hold further information at the moment, let her get used to what had just happened first. Her hand slid down his, then she set her backpack down, and stared up at him, waiting. He saw the groundbridge open just beyond the girl, and she followed his gaze, turning.

Her reaction was bemusing, to say the least. A stammered 'what the' was heard, as she darted around, hiding behind his hand. A moment passed, and she reached out to grab her backpack and yank that to her. Her next words were so quiet Optimus almost didn't hear them. "What the hell is that?" He picked her up gently, using his other hand to shield her as he stood, holding her close to his chest, hoping to keep her calm.

"It's a groundbridge, leading to our base. Unfortunately, it would neither be safe nor wise to leave you here, since you've been spotted in my company by the Decepticons."

Her uncertain laugh rang out again. "I don't even know you, and apparently I'm in trouble for bein' seen with ya. Great."

He started towards the groundbridge, glancing down at the girl in his hands. "My name is Optimus Prime. I am doing this to ensure your protection, Maddie. I would rather you not have gotten involved..."

"Involved in what? Who was that other ...guy?" She stood up unsteadily, one of her hands clutching his finger as she tried to keep her balance, and continued with the questions.

Optimus sighed as he stepped through the groundbridge. Ratchet was going to have a fit.


End file.
